Love at First Sight

The baby of our family, known as “Little BooBoo” will be turning 3 years old this month. As we prepare to celebrate him, I’m reminded of the day I became a believer in love at first sight.

From the moment we told our only son that he was about to become a big brother, he was ready. He was ready to be the big brother to a baby sister whom he decided would be named “Cinderella”. I asked him how he would feel if he ended up with a little brother instead and with a serious face and an even more serious tone, he muttered, “I would not be happy about that at all.”

When it came time to break the news to our son that a baby boy would be joining our family, he was notably disappointed; after all, he had big plans for Cinderella. He eventually admitted that he didn’t want a baby brother because he didn’t want to share his toys. He was an only child and big changes were coming; he could feel it.

That September we welcomed Little BooBoo into our family. As my eldest son walked cautiously into the delivery room, I noticed he looked different; taller, older. He spoke sweetly and softly while his baby brother slept. He took hold of his baby brother’s tiny hand and said, “You’re my brother now.” Little BooBoo kicked his little legs and woke, opening his bright eyes. My proud eldest noticed that his new brother looked just like him and began to tell him all about the swing in the backyard and the green bike he would let him ride. Sleepy Little BooBoo tried to focus as he responded to his big brother’s voice but he soon drifted back to sleep, after all, it had been a pretty exciting day.

In the early days of his infancy, Little BooBoo was always calmed by his big brother’s voice as he would talk to him about cartoons and dinosaurs. As he grew, he would eagerly focus on his big brother’s voice and attempt to mimic his speech. All that brotherly tender loving care led Little BooBoo to say his big brother’s name as his first word!

With each new milestone Little BooBoo reached, we all celebrated but none more than his big brother. It was as if each new discovery bridged the age gap between them that much more.

While Little BooBoo may not have been the Cinderella ending my eldest was hoping for, his baby brother proved to be the happily ever after he never expected. The story of Little BooBoo’s birth as baby brother remains a family favorite, told time and time again. But their story isn’t over yet, in fact it’s just beginning.